Transportation unit



Feb. 15, 1927.

- 1,617,852. H. W. KIRCHNER TRANSPORTATION UNI T 7 Filed May 10. 1921 va Sheets-Sheet 1 Q v k I //////////////////////1 o Feb. 15,1927.1,617,852

H. W. KIRCHNER TRANSPORTATION UN'IT Filed May 10. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Jill/@2502" y g! I Feb. 15, 1927.. 1,617,852

V H. w. KIRCHNER TRANSPORTATION UNIT Filed May 10 1921' 5 Sheets-Sheet slizfewior Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY W. KIRCHNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRANSPORTATION UNIT.

AppIication filed May 10, 1921. Serial No. 468,396.

- 1920 and 1,360,412, dated November 30, 1920.

One object of my invention is to provide a shipping container which isadapted when mounted on a flat car with similar units to form therewitha box car of approximately rtandard type.

Another object of my invention is to provide a container which isadapted to receive goods which may be shipped without cratmg or boxing,such as furniture, goods 'which are shipped in small packages, such ascanned goods, shoes, etc., or goods which may be shipped in bulk, suchas grain, coal, etc.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple efiicient means forsecuring such a container in position upon a fiat car or other carrierto prevent tilting or other movement of the container relative to thecarrier.

An additional object of my invention is to assemble a plurality ofcontainers so that in their assembled position it will be impossible toremove the contents.

- In the accompanying drawings ilustrating a selected embodiment of myinvention-- Figure 1 is an elevation of two of my containers forming theend of a car and mounted upon a flat car carrier which is sectioned tomore clearly illustrate the assembly.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of two of the containers in assembledposition.

Figure 3 is a top view of one of the containers.

Figure 4 .is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Fi re 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a -vertical section through a container showin its adatation for discharging materia of flui or semi-fluid nature, such asgrain.

Figure 7 is an end View of the carrier body,

showing a portion of thecontainer holding operating mechanism.

Figure 8 is a transverse section through the carrier showing portions ofthe container holding mechanism.

Figures 9 and 10 are an elevation and a longitudinal section on anenlarged scale of the container holding operating mechanism parts shownin Figure 7.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the containerholding mechanism.

While it will be understood that the containers illustrated may bemounted on truck, railway car, barge, or ship, I have illustrated thecar carrying means only,as typical of the assembly of the container witha carrier, and in the illustrations the containers 1 are mounted on thefloor 2 of the carrier and are preferably provided with feet 3 consisting of castings of the form shown. I have shown a box-like containerconstructed substantially of steel plates and of such height and widththat two of'them placed adjacent to eachother will form a transversesection of a box-car body having a running board 4 and a roof whichtapers downwardly from each side of the runnin board.

l The carrier floor 2 is equipped wit angles 5, channels 6, or similardevices adapted to engage the sides of feet 3 to prevent any shiftlng ofthe container in a horizontal plane. Undesired shifting of the containerupwardly is prevented by locking means, hereinafter described, and bythe assembled position of two adjacent containers. The latter featurewill be seen by referring to Figure l'where the inner edge of one of thecontainers is held down by the hook 7, thus preventing tilting of thecontainer about its outer edge and any tilting of the container aboutits inner edge will be resisted by contact of the inner to edge of thetilting container with the ad acent edge of the other container, thelatter, of course, beingheld in its position by the respective hook 7 ofthat container. Hooks 7 are wide enough to fill the o enin in legs 3 toprevent longitudinal shifting o the containers.

One side of each container consists of two doors 8 which extendsubstantially from top to, bottom of the container. The top 9 of thecontainer slopes from a point near this door side to the opposite sideand is provided near the door side with the running board section 4which extends slightly beyond the side and ends of the container.

To adapt the container for its widest possible use, I prefer'to equipsame with an inner folding door 10 which is hinged at 11 and may extenddownwardly inside of doors 8 as shown in Figure 6, or may be folded orheld adjacent the top as shown in Figure 1. A lower door 12 is hinged at13 and may be swung to the vertical position shown in Figure 1 or to anouter discharge position shown in Figure 6. Thesides 14 of door 12 arerigid therewith and form sectoral chute sides, something less thanninety degrees in extent. \Vhen the door 12 is closed they move backadjacent the sides of the car to the inner position indicated inFigure 1. Each side 14 is provided with an additional sector-shapedplate 15 having a slot 16 which is engaged by a pin 17 on side 14. Sides14 and 15 and door 12 form a telescoping chute. A small sliding door 12in door 12 forms means for obtaining a restricted discharge offluid-like contents of the container.

Angles 18 in the front vertical corners of the box form stops for theinner door 12. This double door with the chute arrangement at the bottomcomprise an ideal shipping container for grain. It will be noted thatthe container has a small door 19 in its top which may be used forloading such merchandise. This door is provided with a catch 20 whichlocks the same when the door is closed so that it is impossible to openthe door except from the inside of the container.

A certain number of the containers will be provided with hand holds orladders 21 and when the containers are mounted upon their carriers, oneof those with these hand holds will be positioned at the end of thecarrier to enable the trainmen to mount to the top of the car, the sameas on an ordinary box car. Each container is stiffened with V-- shapedbraces 22, and in Figure 1 I have shown a preferred arrangement of thesebraces on the ends of the container. It will be seen that they convergefrom the opposite bottom corners of the end toward each other and meetnear the top of the end of the container. This forms an efficient bracefor the end leading from one supporting'foot to the other. The sidebraces may be arranged in the same manner or disposed vertically asfound desirable. 22 is a perforated lifting ear, preferably connected tothe converging upper ends of the braces 22.

The container holding mechanism is best illustrated in Figure 8 in whichthe lower portions of feet 3 are shown as provided with upwardly facingledges 23 which slope outwardly and downwardly from the vertical wallsof the feet. Engaging each ledge is the downwardly facing surface 24 ofhook 7 which forms an integral part of the locking member 25. Floor 2 ofthe carrier is slotted adjacent the points where feet 3 of the containerare to rest and members 25 are mounted 011 the underframe of the carrierin line with the floor openings. Members 25 have transverse L-shapedopenings 26, a portion of the edge of which constitutes a rack 27. Anoperating shaft 28. extends throughout the length of the car and carriespinions 29, each of which meshes with one of the racks 27. Member 25 hasan extended flange 30 adapted to-engage the lower surface of the crossbeam top plate- 30.

After the containers have been placed in posit-ion, shaft 28 is rotatedfrom the end of the car so as to raise member 25 from the position shownon the right hand side of Figure 8, then move same inwardly until itengages and holds the container foot as indicated on the left hand sideof Figure 8. \Vhen the holding means are not functioning, the tops ofhooks 7 will be flush with the top of floor 2 and fill the openings inthe floor. Shafts 28 are operated from the end of the car by means of aratchet 31 and lever 32, the latter being provided with a pawl 33 whichmay be turned to engage either side of the teeth of ratchet 31. Ratchetholding pawls 34 and 35 may be alternately utilized for locking theratchet against return movement as the pawl 33 is shifted to engagesuccussive teeth.

It will be seen that the container is adapted for universal use on landor water carriers or in storage. In use the goods will be packed in thcontainer and the container transferred from truck to wharf or toanother carrier by means of cranes, thus eliminating the necessity oftransferring the contents in small units and loss arising from exposureof the goods and possible handling damage or theft.

While I have shown my container as formed in units adapted to extendhalfway across the width of the ordinary car, they may be made largeenough to extend. clear. across the car by making corresponding changesin the door construction, etc. Such an embodiment of my invention isillustrated.

in a copending application, Serial Number 468,397, filed May 10, 1921,and it is obvious that many other modifications of the structure shownand described may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

This present application is a modification of application Serial No.359,071, filed February 16, 1920, and Serial No. 430,902, filed December15, 1920.

I claim:

1. In a shipping container, 21 top sloping from one side to the other,and a section of a railroad car running board mounted on said top alongthe higher side of the container.

2. In a transportation unit, a carrier, a pair of shipping containers,one side wall of each container being equipped with doors, and means forinsuring that said containers when mounted on said carrier will bepos1-- tioned with their door-equipped walls contiguous to each other.

3. In a. transportation un t, a pair of shipping containers, one sidewall of each of said containers being equipped with doors, saidcontainers being secured in position in said unit with door equippedwalls adjacent to each other but spaced apart, and a section of runningboard carried by the top of each container and extending substantiallyhalfway across the space between said containersf 4. In a shippingcontainer, an outer side rood hinged to swing horizontally,'an innerdoor extending from a point adjacent to the top of the container to apoint substantially spaced from the bottom thereof, and a lower doorbelow said inner door hinged to swing vertically.

5. In a shipping container, an outer side door hingedto swinghorizontally, an inner door extending from a point adjacent to the topof the container to a point substantially spaced from the bottomthereof, a lower door below said inner door hinged to swing vertically,and side plates on said lower door adapted to form a discharge chutetherewith.

6. In a shipping cbntainer, an outer. side door hinged to swinghorizontally, an inner door extending from a point adjacent to the topof the container to a point substantially spaced from the bottomthereof, and a door hinged to the bottom of the container and extendingupwardlyto meet said inner door.

7. In a shipping container, an outer side door hinged to swinghorizontally, an innerdoor extending from a point adjacent to the top ofthe container to a point substantially spaced from the bottom thereof, alowor door below said inner door hinged to swing vertically, and a smallsliding door in the lower portion of said lower door.

8. In a shipping container, an outer side door hinged to swinghorizontally, an inner door extending from a point adjacent to the topof the container to a point substantially spaced from the bottomthereof,-a lower door below said inner door hinged to swing vertically,and telescoping-side plates on said lower door adapted to form adischarge chute therewith. I

9. In a shipping container, an outer side door hinged to swinghorizontally, an inner i door extending from a point adjacent to the topof the container to a point substantially spaced from the bottomthereof, a lower dool below said inner door hinged to swing vertically,sectoral side plates integral with each edge of said lower door, andsectoral plates slidable with said side plates and with the side wall ofthe container and overlapping same when the lower door is open.

10. In a shipping container, an outer sid door hinged to swingoutwardly, an inner door hinged to swin inwardly, and a stop on thecontainer whlch limits the outward movement of said inner door.

11. In a shipping container, side doors extending substantially from topto bottom of the container and hinged to swing outwardly, and an innerside door adapted to be positioned against the container top.

12. In a shipping container, side doors hinged inner door adapted whenfolded to be positioned beneath the container top.

13. In a shipping container, side doors comprising substantially oneentire side of the container, a door in the top of the container wherebythe latter may be loaded without opening said side doors, and innerdoors adjacent. to said side doors whereby the container may be-provided with a restricted unloading opening.

14. In a shipping container, side doors comprising substantially oneentire side of the container, a foldable inner door adapted to bepositioned adjacent to the top of the container or to be positionedbehind said side doors, and an outwardly opening door in the top of thecontainer, whereby the container is adapted to receive bulky articlesthrough the open sidedoors or to securely retain merchandise of asemi-fluid nature received ed. on said carrier with the discharge doorsof one container adjacent to the discharge- 1 doors of the other,whereby said containers may only be unloaded when disassembled, andmeans for locking said containers in position on said carrier.

16. Ina transportation unit, a carrier, a

plurality of shipping containers remova-bly mounted thereon, members onsaid carrierwhich prevent lateral shifting of said containers, anelement on said carrier for each container adapted to hold one side ofthe latter against upward movement, the upper portions of the respectiveheld, sides of said containers being adjacent each other, whereby upwardmovement-of the opposite sides of the carrier is prevented.

17. The combination of a carrier, .t-wo unit containers arranged injuxtapositionthereon, the outer edges of sald containers being free tomove vertically, and locking devices for preventing vertical movement ofthe inner or juxtaposed edges of said con tainers.

.18. In a transportation unit, a carrier, a

to swing outwardly, and a foldable fee 19. In a transportation unit, acarrier, a-

container, a downwardly facing hook extending above the floor of saidcarrier, an upwardly facing ledge on said container, and. means formoving said hook to and from positions in which it engages said ledge orin which it is beneath the carrier" floor, comprising a rack on saidhook, a pinion journaled on said carrier and meshed with said rack, andpinion rotating means.

20. In a transportation unit, a carrier, a carrier floor provided withan opening, a container mounted on said floor and provided with anupwardly facing ledge aligned with said opening, a downwardly facinghook on said carrier aligned with said opening and adapted to be raisedthrough said opening and moved transverselv thereof to engage saidledge, and means for so moving said hook, comprising an L- shaped rackformed in said hook and a pinion journaled on said carrier and meshedwith said rack, and means for operating said pinion whereby rotation ofthe latter will provide horizontal and vertical movement of said hook torelease said container and close said opening.

21. In a transportation unit, a carrier, a container provided with anupwardly facing ledge, a carrier floor provided with an opening. amember provided with an upwardly facing surface adapted to slide alongthe bottom of said floor and having an integral downwardly facing hookadapted to extend through said opening and to engage said ledge, andrack and pinion mechanism for operating said member as described.

22. A shipping container comprising an upright box-like structureprovided with spaced supporting feet, and inverted V- shaped reinforcingbraces on the container walls converging from points adjacent to saidfeet to a central point near the top of the container.

23. In a transportation unit, a carrier, a shipping container, spacedcontainer supporting and securing elements at the bottom of saidcontainer, and diagonal braces on said container extending from thelower corners adjacent said elements toward each other and meeting at acentral point near the top of said container.

24;. The combination of a carrier, unit containers in juxtaposition toeach other, and locking devices for securing the juxtaposed lower edgesof the containers to the carrier whereby the containers are preventedfrom tilting in any direction.

25. The combination of a carrier having vertical faces for preventingshifting movement of container units, except in a vertical direction,unit containers arranged within and cooperating with said verticalfaces, and locking devices for securing only the juxtaposed ldwer edgesof said unit containers to the carrier.

26. In a transportation unit a carrier, a pair of shipping containers,one side wall of each container being equipped with doors. and means onthe tops of said carriers for insuring that said containers when mountedon said carrier will be positioned with their door-equipped wallscontiguous to each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 6th day of May,1921.

- HENRY W. KIRCHNER.

